Dear Colleagues,

At the University of Northampton we have recently come to a tentative
conclusion that requiring disabled students to seek consent to record
lectures, when there is no explicit policy applicable to other students
(i.e. nothing that specifically says they cannot record lectures)
amounts to less favourable treatment against disabled students and may
be unlawful. It also breaches commitments we make to disabled students
relating to confidentiality since, if they are the only ones allowed to
record, this effectively means they are disclosing a disability to
everyone who attends the lecture(s) and to academic staff from whom they
have to seek consent.

We are therefore currently discussing a proposal that the recording of
lectures is formally allowed for all students (albeit on conditions in
terms of recognising and respecting intellectual rights and that
recordings are only for personal use and cannot be shared etc). This
proposal has resulted in some debate and discussion - although in
principle it has been welcomed - and no final decision has been reached
to date.  We came to this conclusion when we undertook an equality
impact assessment initial screening of the "practice" of only requiring
disabled students to seek explicit consent to record lectures.


Paul Crofts
Equality and Diversity Officer (Students)
 
University of Northampton
Tel: (01604) 893887
Mobile (work): 07872836463
E-Mail: [log in to unmask]
 
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-----Original Message-----
From: HE Administrators equal opportunities list
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Rich, Tammy
Sent: 15 May 2008 16:44
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: audio recording of lectures

HI Naseem
 
Thanks for that, it's particularly helpful. I found the Gloucester
policy - it's the only one that appears when you Google.
 
It seems there are policies re disability but no-one's come back with a
policy regarding audio recording in general.  Does at mean our
Universities haven't thought about that?
 
Tammy
 
Tammy Rich | Diversity and Equality 
 
Kingston University | 53 Portland Road | Kingston | KT1 2SH
DL: 020 8417 4025 | Internal: 64025 |  Fax: 020 8417 4159 | Mobile:
07917551846

________________________________

From: HE Administrators equal opportunities list on behalf of Naseem
Anwar
Sent: Thu 15/05/2008 15:37
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: audio recording of lectures



Tammy

 

Check out the following web link re: recording lectures.

http://www.skill.org.uk/page.aspx?c=181&p=292

 

Please find attached a letter produced in 2003 by what were then the
DRC, NATFHE and SKILL addressing this very issue for recording lectures.

 

As for whistle blowing and students check the University of Gloucester's
policy:
http://www.glos.ac.uk/shareddata/dms/744215F0BCD42A039E1B6E085022D013.pd
f
<http://www.glos.ac.uk/shareddata/dms/744215F0BCD42A039E1B6E085022D013.p
df> 

 

Trust these help.

 

Best wishes

 

Naseem

 

 

________________________________

From: HE Administrators equal opportunities list
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Rich, Tammy
Sent: 15 May 2008 12:38
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: audio recording of lectures

 

I have spoken to one member of this listing who has kindly agreed to
send me a copy of their institutions policy on students' use of recorded
lectures.  Do any other institutions have policies in place to cover
this?  I found some guidelines regarding Disabled students use of audio
recordings from Kings College and Leeds which is useful.

 

I'm sure it won't have escaped your notice that I am from Kingston
University and we are in the press regarding the release of the
recording of a lecturer talking to students about the National Student
Survey.  I am not involving myself in the rights or wrongs of the
argument but there will be a consequent reluctance by our lecturers (and
probably at other institutions) to allow recordings to take place.  What
we want to do is to ensure that, where a Summary of Support Needs says
that this is a requirement, the lecturer is protected too.  Our
Disability and Dyslexia Department wants to ensure that we have a policy
in place for that (I don't think we're alone in not having one) and I
thought I would also ask generally if anyone's institution has an
overarching policy for all students.

 

Would really appreciate some feedback on this.  Interestingly the public
responses on the news websites, which have been variable, have
highlighted similar practices at many other Universities so it may be
just as well that those of that need to, learn from those who have
already protected themselves.

 

Also - does anyone know of anything equivalent to Whistleblowing
protection for students?

Thanks

Tammy

 

Tammy Rich | Diversity and Equality

Diversity and Equality Unit | Kingston University | 53 Portland Road |
Kingston | KT1 2SH

DL: 020 8417 4025 |  Internal: 64025 |  Fax: 020 8417 4159 | Mobile:
07917551846

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